You never know when a "Christmas Blessing" might inject itself into your day.
Last Saturday, Robin and I were going up to Cool Springs to do some Christmas shopping when I remembered that there was one more Christmas Basket that needed to be delivered. One of the classes at Zion Christian Academy had put together all these baskets and had asked MUMs to deliver them to folks who could really use them.
So, on the way to the Mall, we swung by one of Columbia's housing projects to drop off this last basket of food with one of our regular MUMs passengers.
As we have gotten to know this particular lady, two things mark her with distinction. One . . though she is unable to work a regular job because of disability, she volunteers her time to help charitable agencies. The other . . . she has cancer.
She never asks for much but she had let me know a week before that she was getting low on food. (I had no idea how low.)
She is usually very reserved with me, so it surprised me when, seeing me at the door with the basket of food, she burst into tears. They were tears of joy! They were not tears of complaint or frustration or even tears of pent up relief. Just quiet tears of joy.
She let me into her apartment to place the basket on the floor. I gave her a Christmas hug and a smile and wished her a Merry Christmas and was almost out the door, my mind already turned to the crush of traffic and the hustle and bustle that awaited, when I heard it . . . . . .
She didn't say it for me to hear it.
She said it very softly.
She was speaking to SomeOne Else.
I guess God wanted me to hear it.
"Oh thank You, Jesus." She whispered. " I thought I would be having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."
I was already out the door and on my way. But, as you can imagine, my whole day had changed..
The frustrations of the Christmas shopping season lost all significance . . . The air looked clearer than it had just a moment before . . . Time seemed to slow down even as I maintained my pace back to the van . . .
. . . A Christmas Blessing came upon me . . .
Emmanuel - God with us - the thought of it filled my mind with a freshness and a wonder! You might say, with HER freshness and wonder, that God has Provided once again. That God Cared about HER.
Yes, it was a great blessing.. And in the Presence of that great blessing I heard God tell me something to pass along to YOU!
and, it is this
"Dear friend, never underestimate the impact of those little things that you do to help others!"
You can't always be the one with the privilege of delivering the basket,
But, every time you support someone who is helping the needy . . .
And, every time you lift a prayer for them . . . . Or give a little of your own time . . . . .
in a VERY REAL SENSE . . . . .
YOU are delivering the basket!
YOU are giving something of substance to someone who is in need.
And there IS a blessing that comes YOUR way!
How I wish that my own gratitude to Jesus for YOU could bless you, right now, with the blessing that I received at that lady's doorstep!!!
I tell you this from deep within my heart . . . (please excuse me for being so open with you) . . . as I think of all those who help MUMs and all those who help other Christian Organizations in Maury County and all those who help anyone in any way, my heart overflows to God at this moment saying, "Thank You, Jesus . . . . . without them and their giving spirits and their helpful acts, so many who are needy would remain needy. Thank You for all the relief that they bring. Please BLESS them, Lord, I pray, with a
SPECIAL, SPECIAL CHRISTMAS BLESSING.
"Thank you, beloved friend, for all that you do to help others."
